What Kettering’s superintendent says about being a finalist for the same job in Columbus

Share

Aug 24, 2018

By Wayne Baker

Staff Writer

STAFF/FILE

Kettering Superintendent Scott Inskeep has been named one of six finalists by the Columbus Board of Education for the open Columbus schools superintendent s position.

Kettering Superintendent Scott Inskeep has been named one of six finalists by the Columbus Board of Education for the open Columbus schools superintendent’s position.

In an interview with this news outlet, Inskeep confirmed that officials with the Columbus Board of Education hired a private Chicago-based search firm to compile a list of candidates for the position and will be considering all of the finalists for the position.

He explained that the situation is not a matter of seeking to leave Kettering, but rather exploring how his credentials matched up with those looking to lead such a large school district — the state’s largest, with approximately 50,000 students — while the Kettering school district has nearly 8,000 students.

“You go into those things, and you never know how you’re going to stack up. At this point, I’m simply a name that they have,” Inskeep said. “I haven’t had any conversation with any leadership in that district. My name was just presented to the search firm. At this point, no interviews or anything has taken place. Right now, I just want to keep being the best superintendent I can be in Kettering and do a good job here.”

Inskeep was hired to lead the Kettering school district in 2014 after guiding the Reading district for 12 years. He also served for two years as high school principal there. He spent most of the 17 years before that in the Mason City Schools system as a middle-school teacher, then as principal of elementary and middle schools.

If the the offer does come for an interview or eventually a job offer, Inskeep says the process will always be “one step at a time.”

“I wouldn’t even be in this position if Kettering wasn’t such a great place and a great school district,” he said. “But if that call does come, then I will cross that bridge at that time and we would go from there. It is a big jump and it’s never easy when you go into these situations.”